There are many types of implements that are used in surgical procedures. The implements, such as implants, provide a physician with the ability to stabilize portions of the body that are being repaired in a surgical or medical procedure.
Oftentimes, the physician needs to determine the proper location and orientation for the implant prior to actually positioning and securing the implant within the body. To do so, a trial or template implant is utilized. This trial or template implant is formed of titanium with an anodized exterior coating (e.g., Ti06AL-4V), and is formed with a configuration similar to the form of the actual implant to be secured within the body. In use, the trial or template implant is placed within the body and manipulated by the physician to determine the proper location for the actual implant. Once determined, the location can be marked and the actual implant affixed within the body using known procedures.
However, with these prior art trial or template implants, the nature of the anodized titanium used to form them requires that the trial or template implant be used only once and then discarded. The reason for this is that the anodized coating, which is necessary for trial or template implants formed of titanium, can become brittle or otherwise damaged upon sterilization after an initial use. Thus, the coating can flake off during subsequent uses and consequently endanger the patient.
In addition, other implements that are designed for use in various surgical procedures are formed of rigid materials. These constructions make it difficult for medical practitioners to use devices of this type in confined spaces, and can result in the individual having to use the implement at an awkward angle. Also, in other implements of this type formed with flexible structures, the implements have exposed springs or coils which could trap debris, making the element hard to clean for subsequent uses. Further, some flexible implements have tubing sleeves which cover the flexible coils or springs, but these tubes do not closely conform to the shape of the coils and/or springs, providing a space between the flexible element and the tube within which debris can be trapped.
Thus, it is desirable to develop implements for surgical procedures, such as trial or template implants, that is formed of a material that is flexible in nature and that can be sterilized and reused in multiple procedures.